Animals & Science

Grizzly bears are omnivorous; they are not fussy eaters and will eat plants, insects and animals. They spend most of their waking hours searching for food, and their movements are guided by this...

The United States is known for having the largest variety of crab populations in the world. One species in particular, the blue crab, is especially known for its sweet, tender meat. Its popular...

Reptiles come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny geckos to mammoth dinosaurs. Their reproductive methods and behaviors generally differ greatly from mammals, though there are some similarities....

The bowerbird is a family of medium-sized songbirds native to Australia and New Guinea. There are 18 different species that vary widely in appearance. Since the 1830s when Charles Darwin observed...

Salmon are awe-inspiring fish that swim the oceans before traveling upriver to spawn. Salmon are also delicious, and are a popular fish purchased in supermarkets and restaurants. Whether you are a...

Mammals life cycles can vary, especially in some varieties of mammals that may not be so obvious, such as dolphins and platypuses. The life cycle, while seemingly simple, can be fairly complicated...

The common newt is an amphibian, and like all amphibians, divides its time between water and land. It inhabits most of Europe, and prefers forestland, gardens, parks and wet meadows. This...

When a female King crab reaches sexual maturity and is ready to mate, she releases a chemical substance, called a pheromone, which attracts males. The chemical nature of the pheromone is not...

Bobwhite quails are small game birds who received their name from the distinct "bobwhite" call that they whistle. Here is a quick guide on their appearance, habitat, food, courtship and nesting...

The role of a male lion is to control the pride and keep other male lions away from the pride. Discover how young male lions leave prides to live as nomads, only to return when they are older with...

When lion cubs are young, they get a lot of attention from their mothers, and they are often moved to a safe place that is free of predators. Learn about the different paths that male and female...

Phycodurus eques or the leafy sea dragon is an aquatic creature related to the seahorse. Its leafy appendages give it the appearance of a piece of seaweed and its slow movements do not do anything...

Female squirrels reproduce by mating and then birthing live young. They are able to begin the mating process at the age of one year. The first mating season begins in late winter, usually around...

Turkeys that are raised for meat in factory farms usually are not allowed to breed naturally. Instead, they are artificially inseminated. To look at the natural mating and reproduction habits of...

Male and female frogs and toads lack the familiar external markings that male and female mammals possess. There are a few ways to tell male and female frogs and toads apart from one another.

The reindeer is an animal closely related to the holiday season. Santa's sled was pulled by them and they are fit in right at home in wintry landscapes. Real life reindeer are an impressive...

Antlers are actually living bone that male deer are able to regenerate each year. They are used for defense, to battle other males for dominance, and to find food in the snow. Antlers are...

A castrated rooster is called a capon. Capons are rare in today's poultry markets, but they still are available if you have access to a good butcher. The flesh of a capon tastes differently from...

Just how to tell if your baby chickens are male/female

You can distinguish a male dolphin from a female dolphin by examining its lower stomach. A male dolphin has two slits: One slit contains the penis and the other contains the anus. Female dolphins...

While most animals remain the same sex throughout their lifetimes, many types of fish can switch between sexes. These changes are usually dependent on a number of physiological and environmental...

Swan courtship and bonding really begins the moment baby swans, or cygnets, are kicked out of the nest. At this point, they are almost a year old, but they will not begin mating until around 3....

Cows are members of the family Bovidae. They are commonly raised as livestock for milk production for dairy products, for meat and to carry or pull heavy loads. Cows are also often killed for...

Understanding whale gender differences is key to understanding the mating process. Whale gender is often hard to judge, as neither gender has greatly visually defining characteristics. Generally,...

Mating season for most snakes begins in mid-spring. Unlike most other creatures, snakes have no rituals or competitions involved in the process of mate selection. When male snakes are ready for...

As a female shark reaches maturity, it is able to produce certain hormonal chemicals to attract a mate. Each species of shark emits a different chemical, dependent on its genus, though some sharks...

Elephants are the largest land mammals in the world. Their only predators are humans. Elephants are gentle animals unless the need to protect themselves forces them not to be. Unfortunately, the...

The verdict is still out about exactly when the gender of a sea turtle embryo is decided. Researchers do agree, however, that the determination is made after fertilization and that the nest...

Any time from late winter through early spring, female blue jays will pick a male to mate with. It is believed that older birds go through the process earlier than younger blue jays. When ready to...

Hummingbird mating season begins in early spring. In mid to late March, hummingbirds return to the U.S. and Canada from their southern winter migration to Mexico and Central America. Males of most...

Cheetahs reach sexual maturity at around two years of age. By this time, coalitions of male littermates have staked out their own territories, and solitary females have developed expansive "home...

Giraffes don't have a particular mating season. Female giraffes go into estrus every two weeks throughout the year. When a female is in estrus, she excretes pheromones that let the males know that...

Butterflies are some of the most beautiful insects on earth. They gain energy to fly through the sun's warmth. If you notice a butterfly sitting and spreading their wings as they slowly close...

The red back Australian spider is a native arachnid to the Outback though in recent years it has turned up in Japan and New Zealand. By and large, this relative of the North American black widow...

Female deer, known as does, have a different appearance and behavior pattern than their male counterparts. Identifying a female deer may bring challenges, however, if you don't know what to look...

The wild turkey is the largest game bird found in North America. If you're more a connoisseur of the subtleties of dark and light meat during Thanksgiving, then knowing the difference between a...

The Rose Haired Tarantula is one of the most common pet tarantulas kept by hobbyists. They are very mild-tempered and hardy, requiring only basic care and accommodations. Due to their calm nature,...

The Sydney funnel web spider is one of the most incredible spiders on the planet. It is not like most spiders in that it will defend itself ferociously, and has the tools to do so. It is vital...

At first glance, male and female turtles appear very similar to one another. However, there are a few ways to tell males from females. Unique sexual characteristics differ among species, so this...

For many wildlife enthusiasts, observing animals in their natural environment is a huge thrill. Woodcock are one of those animals that offer the viewer a show both impressive and entertaining....